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SECONDARY SOCIALISATION

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Secondary Socialisation = begins when children become more independent and usually when they begin school. From the age of 4/5 children spend more time away from their families and this can have a notable effect on their socialisation. o This doesnt mean that family is no longer important but rather that the process of socialisation becomes multidimensional.

AGENTS OF SOCIALISATION
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Family Education Peer Groups Religion Media Workplace

FAMILY AGENT NO. 1 Family is the main agent of socialisation for most in the UK. The family socialises people in three ways: 1. Role Models Your family teach you the basic norms and values of everyday life. o Through the process of imitation/looking at role models. o Basic norms reflect wider values, such as the importance of family meals times or maintaining close relationships. Positive/Negative Sanctions Socialisation within the family can come from positive or negative sanctions. o Positive sanctions are things such as praising a child when they behave in a way that the parent wants them to. o When parents want to discourage inappropriate behaviour, they can use negative sanctions such as withholding computer time or grounding their child for a period of time. Gender Roles Family has a large impact on a childs notion of gender identities. o If a boy sees his father going out to work and his mum stays at home, it is likely to have an impact on how we will view gender roles in the family. o This doesnt mean he will copy this or that he will share the same value of beginning that men are the main providers but his formative experiences are likely to influence his decisions and pathway in later life.

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The process through which families socialise their children will depend on a number of different factors. Structural issues such as family size and geographical issues such as where other significant family members live have an impact, but factors such as social class ethnicity are also likely to play a significant part in the socialisation process.

EDUCATION AGENT NO. 2


Children begin full time education at the age of 4/5 years old and they have to learn to interact and socialise with a wider number of people. Full time education means that children have to learn to adapt to a new set of rules, regulations and cultural

expectations. During the 11 years of education, pupils are constantly reminded of hierarchy and the importance of social order. There are a lot of different forms of school and the type which you attend will affect your experiences because norms and values differ between schools. However there are two crucial processes of social learning operating in any school and pupils are influenced daily by both; the formal and informal (hidden) curriculums.
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Formal Curriculum Subjects that were taught in school (e.g. English, Maths, Science etc.) o The national curriculum has been described as an ethnocentric curriculum. This means it teaches British values and culture as being dominant over others (Gillborn 1990). o In education today, the formal curriculum will determine what children learn and to some extent their achievement in school. o Subject Knowledge impacts on the culture of their society (e.g. if taught that all good scientists were male this would have an impact. The content of lessons therefore plays an important part in the socialisation process). Informal/Hidden Curriculum Responsible for teaching children the rules/regulations of school life o In this sense the informal curriculum plays a crucial role to survive in the classroom. o The hidden curriculum may teach you punctuality, asking to go to the toilet, putting your hand and about respecting you teachers. o It is learnt through talking to other children and listening to/imitating others. o Informal curriculum will differ hugely depending on the school but it cannot be escaped. o Lavoie (Cited in Bieber 1994) described the informal curriculum as, Social skills that everyone knows but are never taught. (e.g. assumed rules, adult/student expectations, idioms, metaphors are passed on)

Sometimes the informal and formal overlap (e.g. school uniform). Most schools have a uniform policy (formal) but it is through informal learning that students understand how far they can deviant from that policy (e.g. ties and blazers must be worn, however if its not enforced/compulsory).
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Rules/Policies these play an important part in socialising pupils. o Teachers play a crucial role in this process, sometimes acting as role models but also through their use of positive and negative sanctions.

Education socialises individuals into the culture of the school, which involves learning new norms and values, understanding different roles and, for most schools, appreciating the importance of achieved status. Although, all individuals experience education, it is experienced in different ways. Education socialises individuals in different ways. FUNCTIONALISTS & EDUCATION Functionalists see education as essential as it transmits central cultural values, thus producing conformity and consensus.
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Durkheim believed that subjects like History, Language and Religious Education link the individual to society (past and present). This reinforces their sense of belonging to society. Parsons thinks that the main function of education is to act as a bridge between the family and wider society (e.g. a stepping stone)

Education socialises children into important values such as achievement, completion, and individualism functionalists see the transmission of these values as essential in preparing young people for the world of work.

MARXISTS & EDUCATION Marxists (Althusser) argue that education as an agent of socialisation is dominated by a hidden curriculum an ideology that encourages conformity and an unquestioning acceptance of the organisation of the capitalist system. Marxists claim that schools socialise children into uncritical acceptance of hierarchy obedience and failure. In this way, Marxists see schools as agents of social control. PEER GROUPS AGENT NO. 3
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Peers refers to the people of a similar age who may also be friends or share similar interests.

Peers are probably the most important influences on socialisation between the ages of 5 18, the process of growing up and becoming an adult. They are important as a large amount of time is spent with your peer group during this time. SKELTON & FRANCIS (2003)
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Showed how the role of the peer group is essential to understanding the use of playtime in primary schools. o The playground is ruled by issues of space. o The boys take up a majority of the playground for playing football, excluding girls and non-sporty boys. o The girls take up much less space with activities such as skipping but still seem to exclude boys.

As children begin to socialise more outside of school these peer groups become even more important and can last beyond the age of 18. Peer groups can form around issues of rebellion or resistance. For some people resisting the norm and wanting to be individualistic is part of the transitional process of growing up. BENNET (2006)
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Bennet studied a group of middle aged punks in Kent who shared the same interest and enthusiasm for punk music and this gave them the same group coherence they had shared since their young punk days.

Peer groups encourage each other to conform to shared norms/values; this means that peers can exert pressure on individuals to imitate or reject group behaviour (Peer Pressure). Group membership and belonging are important and powerful forces influencing people to conform and fit in. Within peer groups there are usually significant figures, individuals who have a higher status within the group and who are role models for others. Peer groups are usually based on shared norms and values, for example people who enjoy playing sport or listening to a certain genre of music. SEWELL (2000)
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Sewell uses the concept of cultural comfort zones to describe how peer groups tend to include people from very similar social backgrounds.

Peer Group Pressure this is an important part of the socialisation process and can be positive and negative. o It is usually used to encourage conformity (e.g. to dress a certain way). o This pressure ensures that people conform to the groups norms (e.g. to behave in a certain way). o Failure to conform can result in rejection and isolation this is why its so influential.

RELIGION AGENT NO.4


Because there are so many different religions in the UK, there are inevitable conflicts over faiths. The UK considers itself to value religious tolerance and freedom. This means that people can practise their religion without fear of persecution. RELIGION IN SOCIETY People think that society has undergone a process of secularisation; this means that society has become less religious. However many people think that actually religion is not declining but instead, just changing. VOAS & CROCKETT (2005)
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They explored the concept of Believing without Belonging (BWB) in the UK and concluded that there is a strong relationship between religious belief and belonging to a religious organisation.

Most sociologists argue that religion has become privatised in the UK, meaning that religion is a matter of personal choice and sometimes a lifestyle choice. This has led to an interest in new religious movements. Alongside the main religions in the UK there has been a growing trend of spiritualist and new age movements, so these might be new types of religions (e.g. Kabala, Scientology, Paganism, Jediism etc.). Religion can socialise people in several different ways: 1. Written Rules these encourage individuals to follow a moral code (e.g. the 10 commandments). o Different religions promote different norms and values; these values are then supported by norms or patterns of behaviour that religions encourage their followers to follow. o For example, most Jewish people dont eat pork because animals with a cloven hoof are considered unclean and treat Sunday as a rest day. Hindus do not eat beef as they consider cows to be sacred. Role Models most religions have a figure of authority who act as a role model to followers. o These figures of authority have huge influence over the values of their followers. o Examples of authority figures/role models within religions are Jesus (Christianity), the Pope (Catholicism) and the Prophet Mohammed (Islam). Gender Roles religion affects males and females in different ways. o For example, there are different dress codes within religions. Jewish men wear skullcaps and Jewish women dont. Some Muslim women are socialised into the norm of wearing a hijab and concealing their bodies. Some are not and choose to wear it as a sign of empowerment.

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HOLDEN (2006) Religion and ethnicity have a strong a link. Holden examined the attitudes of 15 year olds towards race, religion and integration. o At a school with predominantly white students, nearly one third believed that one race was superior to another.

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At a majority Asian/Muslim school only one tenth of students believed the same suggesting that they were more tolerant. Many of the students attitudes came from their parents suggesting that the role of religion in the socialisation process is related to family background.

DECLINE IN RELGION In 2006 the British Social Attitudes Survey reported a major decline in religious identity since the 1960s. In 1964, 26% of people surveyed said they didnt identify with a religion; whereas in 2006, 69% of people surveyed said the same. While religion as a form of social identity has declined, it continues to be strongly related to the values of those who identify with a religion. On issues such as sex before marriage and euthanasia, religious views clearly influence values. FUCTIONALISTS & RELI GION o Durkheim suggest the major function of religion is to socialise societys members into value consensus by investing certain values with a sacred quality (e.g. by infusing them with religious symbolism and special significance. o These values consequently become moral codes beliefs that society agrees to revere and socialise children into. Such codes socially control our behaviour with regards to crime, sex and obligation to others (e.g. 10 commandments).

MARXISTS & RELIGION Marxists describe religion as serving to reflect the interests of ruling class ideals and interest. They believe that religion socialises the working classes in 3 sets of false of ideas: 1. 2. 3. Those who are wealthy are in Gods favour and those who are poor must have sinned. Faith blinds the poor and powerless from the true extent of their exploitation by the ruling class. Religion makes bad things bearable by the promise of an afterlife.

MEDIA AGENT NO. 5 Today for most young people, the media is probably the most dominant form of socialisation. o o o Research with 11-16 year olds (2004) found that 91% of young people owned a mobile phone. In 2005, 16 year olds watched two and a half hours of TV per day. Knowing that 4 billion is spent in the UK on advertising and you begin to realise the powerful impact that TV/advertising can have.

As consumers of media we use them to access information but we also use them as a means of communication, even more so in recent years. The mass media is no longer a one dimensional tool sending out information, it is a multidimensional toll that we use and consume. The media socialises people in a number of different ways: 1. Representation The medias representation of certain groups has changed over time (e.g. women). o Groups such as ethnic minorities and the elderly are underrepresented in todays media. o In the past women tended to be portrayed in a limited number of ways and usually as being of secondary importance to men.

MCROBBIE McRobbie researched the 1970s girls magazine Jackie. o o It showed how young women were being encouraged to value romance, getting a man and keeping a man. McRobbie has used the concept of Slimblondeness to describe the archetypal females which feature in the media with young women being encouraged to copy this.

CURRIE (1999) Currie analysed the content of teen magazine over a 40 year period and found a dramatic increase in the importance of beautification in recent years. The growth in the significance of mens magazines in recent years cannot be overlooked. Magazines such as FHM, GQ and Maxim could be seen as outcomes of the consumer society and mens relationship with it. 2. Influence the media undoubtedly has an impact on society. o Whilst we dont believe everything we are told by the media, they will have an influence. o Some theories suggest that it has a direct influence where what we see influences our attitudes and behaviours. o Where others suggest it may be more indirect with the media influencing us through how our friends and family react influencing us gradually over time. Copycats The media has been held responsible for copycat incidents. o Recently, emo music has been held to blame for self-harming in young people however it is not possible to isolate the media as the sole cause for one type of behaviour. o An example of this is the columbine shooting in 1999 when singer Marilyn Mansons music was blamed for the assailants actions. The Creation of Consumer Culture the media plays an important role in consumer culture. o Brand names compete with each other to get celebrities to endorse their products in adverts. o A prime example of this is Kate Moss, who after a drugs scandal lost a lot of her endorsement deals. However, Moss has regained her status and now models and designs of Top Shop. This shows the power of role models in selling a product (or not) and suggests any media coverage, positive or negative, may have an advantage in a commercial setting.

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MARXISTS & THE MEDIA Marxists are critical of the media as it is responsible for mass culture. o o o o Marcuse suggests that pop culture has had a negative effect on culture Marsh & Keating (2006) Popular culture is a false culture devised and packaged by capitalism to keep the masses content. Its function is to encourage false needs (non-essential consumer goods) and to discourage any serious or critical though especially relating to inequalities caused by capitalism. Barnett agrees with this. In the UK media used to encourage a critical outlook with quality dramas and documentaries but has recently seen a dumbing down of TV, which is superficial, mindless entertainment. Critics argue that we are being socialised into being able to think for ourselves.

In defence of the media, different people interpret media messages in different ways. There is no evidence to suggest that individuals passively accept what is being fed to them.

Audiences are selective and critical. The idea that the public can be manipulated does not recognise the ways in which they actively and critically use the media to enhance their lives and identities.

THE WORKPLACE AGENT NO. 6


When you enter a place of work, you have to go through a process of re-socialisation. This happens in several ways: 1. Rules/Norms You have to learn the rules and regulations and associated norms of your new workplace. o Training programs or mentors will often be provided to help teach these new rules and norms. In this way, the workplace could be compared to the schools formal/informal curriculum. Dress Codes In a workplace there will inevitably be a dress code. o Some have a uniform (e.g. Police, Nurse, Firefighter etc.) which often portray a clear sense of identity.

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Workplaces socialise you in the same way the other agents do: imitation, role models, control/pressuring people, individuals learn where they are on the hierarchy and what they need to do in order to survive or gain a promotion. WARD & WINSTANLEY (2005) They studied the process of how workers come out and disclosed their homosexuality in six different organisations (Police vs. Offices etc.) o Research found that people were more likely to come out in close-knit organisations such as the police.

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